Wanted Icelandic Banker Hires British Star Lawyer

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Wanted Icelandic Banker Hires British Star Lawyer

May 14, 2010 10:53Updated: January 30, 2014 20:16

Former chairman of the Icelandic Bank Kaupthing, Sigurdur Einarsson, who is wanted by Interpol, has hired Ian Burton to represent him, a well-known British lawyer who is an expert in so-called white-collar cases. Earlier clients include pop star Amy Winehouse.

Sigurdur Einarsson. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.

Burton told the Daily Telegraphthat British police authorities cannot arrest Einarsson because the warrant for his arrest, which Interpol has issued at the request of Iceland’s special prosecutor, is not valid outside Iceland.

Einarsson lives in London where the arrest warrant has yet to be complied with. Special Prosecutor Ólafur Thór Hauksson told mbl.is that this matter is being worked on and that his office is in communication with Scotland Yard.

Kaupthing’s former executives are suspected of extensive market abuse. The bank’s former CEO Hreidar Már Sigurdsson and the former director of Kaupthing in Luxembourg Magnús Gudmundsson are currently in custody, as is another high-ranking Kaupthing executive Ingólfur Helgason.

Their colleague Steingrímur Kárason, who served as managing director of Kaupthing’s risk management, is under a travel ban, visir.is reports. Both Kárason and Helgason were arrested upon their arrival to Iceland on Tuesday.